Surprising ways to use Coke around the house

Apart from being people’s favorite drink, a can of soda can do many other tasks.

According to Shared, there are at least 17 creative ways in which people can use Coca-Cola.

An average American family has a few cans of soda lying around at any point in time. There are many ways Coca-Cola can be used to accomplish a few household tasks.

The secret ingredients in the drink are carbonic and phosphoric acids. They are safe to drink in small doses and also help in the following tasks.

Laundry

This may come as a surprise to many. But pouring coke on the clothes is not counter-intuitive.

Soaking clothes in the soda can help remove grease, milk, and blood stains in the washing machine. The side-effect is that the clothes may smell sweet.

Clean grout

There is no need to use the expensive shower-scrubbing foam anymore. Pour a little soda on a scouring brush or toothbrush and wipe down the floor or shower walls with it.

Rinsing the soda off is important, or else it will get sticky.

Clean glass

The grease-busting power is used to clean the streaky handprints on the windows.

Pour some soda in a spray bottle and then wipe it off with a clean rag.

It can also clean smudges off the eyeglasses, but it has to rinse thoroughly after cleaning it.

Kill pests

To get rid of slugs and snails in the garden, leave a plate with some coke on it. The pests will find it irresistible as the sugar draws them in, but the drink’s acidity kills the bugs.

The method is used to catch wasps too, while some pour soda down an ant hill to kill the pests.

Clean a pan

Stuck on food is difficult to get off the frying pan. Pour some coke and lightly simmer. The drink loosens up the gunk in the pan and one can use a soft spatula to scrape it off.

It can also be used to soak oven grates or pots in coke overnight to scour away burnt spots the next morning.

To feel better

Everyone knows that Coca-Cola is not exactly a health drink, but doctors recommend it sometimes.

It can soothe the stomach if one feels nauseous. It can also be used for both constipation and diarrhea.

A widely used method to cure a sore throat in China is to drink coke with ginger and lemon.

Cooking and baking

It is both sweet and tangy making it useful for all kinds of drinks. It can be used to tenderize meat or to marinate pork chops and chicken wings.

Various desserts can also be made with coke, from brownies to cake and cupcakes.

Clean toilet

The acids help get rid of the tough calcified stains inside the toilet’s rim. Pour the drink over the rim and over any stain.

After a few minutes, flush or scrub with a brush.

Treat the hair

Coke can help change the style. Soak hair with coke to make it naturally curly.

It the hair is dyed, soaking it with soda will tone down the color. It can be useful if one has made a mistake.

Remove stuck-on gum

Gum stuck on the shoe, hair, or under a table can easily be removed by soaking gum in coke.

This happens due to some acids in the drink and the carbonation from the bubbles. Wipe it down with a rag and some Coca-Cola to peel it easily.

Wipe oil stains

The marks that are formed underneath the car can be easily removed using coke.

Rinse the stain with coke, let it soak in and then rinse it off. If the stain is tough, it may take a can or two to be cleaned.

Shine metal and remove rust

One of the easiest methods to shine any metal would be to use phosphoric acid. Copper too cleans up well.

For rust, dip a ball of aluminum foil in coke then use it to scour the rust off. For the rusty, jammed bolts, pour coke on to make them start turning.

Defrost a windshield

Surprisingly, coke is strong enough to break apart the ice that forms on the windshield overnight. It can then be scraped off easily.

Do not allow soda to get into the car’s paint, because it may leave a mark.

For bad odors

Wiping the kitchen floor with soda and then rinsing it off again clears away any lingering odor in the room.

Soothe an insect bite

Coke can also treat bee stings and mosquito bites. Caffeine relieves pain as a very mild anesthetic, while the light acids may clean out the irritating bacteria.

Some people also suggest using coke to treat jellyfish stings, but this is often contested.

In the garden

Coke is also effective in gardens. Pouring it on the soil helps produce acidity, which flowers like azaleas, gardenias, rhododendrons, and camellias love.

In India, farmers use coke to keep bugs off their crops. The drink may help boost a plant’s immunity to invasive bugs.

Make a plastic bag holder

The empty two-liter bottles of Coca-Cola can be used to make a nifty plastic bag dispenser for the kitchen. All it needs a few cuts.